Sustainable Green Living Arrives on St.Croix!

Bamboo homes have made their way to St Croix! Imagine walking into an environmentally sensitive

bamboo home, your own personal sanctuary. Imagine exposed bamboo rafters, interior colors that

resonate with the natural warmth of bamboo, a truly green home that restores and reflects your inner

being.

You can now experience this green life at Discovery Grove in St. Croix. The Caribbean distributor,

Bamboo Island Homes, has been to Hawaii and thoroughly researched this very exciting system, which

has been a traditional building method in other parts of the world for hundreds of years. The potential

buyer is now able to visit a couple of the models on St. Croix to see the various design choices and

their associated costs.

The marketing literature about bamboo construction states that it is as strong as steel and, because it

is constructed of a grass, it is more fire resistant than wood. These homes are treated to be termite,

mold and fungus resistant as well. They are also built to Miami-Dade County code specifications for

hurricane and wind forces.

Partnering with Bamboo Technologies, the manufacturer of these prefabricated structures, Bamboo

Island Homes offers a variety of different designs including "The West Indian", and of course they

can be customized to suit the needs of every individual and developer from a single-family dwelling

to yoga retreats and spa resorts. Starting as low as $60 per square foot for the system price, there is

a style to fit every taste and budget. With construction possibly complete in about six months, it is a

real alternative to traditional building; it's aesthetically pleasing and in keeping with the natural tropical

beauty of our island and all while being environmentally friendly and responsible.

For more info please visit:

http://www.bambooislandhome.com/

ISLAND GREEN

Locals and visitors alike are buzzing about the chance for a new National Park for St. Croix! The up to 2900 acre site located on St. Croix's south shore, is home to a pristine coastal barrier coral reef system, a historic great house dating back to the 1730's, as well as evidence of pre-Colombian settlement. The proposed property, Castle Nugent Farms, is home to a special breed of cattle, known as Senepol which are unique to St. Croix. The effort is being spearheaded by long time local family the Gasparis, who own Castle Nugent Farms and are strong supporters of the protection of St. Croix's natural and cultural resources.

Currently, the National Park Sservice is seeking local and visitor input on several park options. To offer support for this important opportunity for St. Croix, please write, call or email:

John Barrett
National Park Service
100 Alabama Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-562-3124 ext. 637
john_barrett@nps.gov

For more information please visit these sites:

St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA): http://www.stxenvironmental.org/castle_nugent.html

National Park Service: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=423&projectId=19240

Best Wishes, Lorine

Lorine R. Williams

Coldwell Banker Land de-Wilde

340.690.9628

www.buyintheusvi.com

lorine@buyintheusvi.com

Fantastic St Croix Travel Deals!

• $150 Airline Credit
• 4^th Night Free

Planning on visiting St. Croix this fall? Two valuable deals mean that now is a great time to book travel. Book your trip before October 5th and qualify for $150 airfare credit when you travel on either American or Delta Airlines. The airfare credits are good for both you and a travel companion ($150 each.) In addition, visitors who book three nights at participating hotels can stay an extra night for free. The hotels represent a great variety of styles and sizes, including the Buccaneer, Carambola, Diva Carina Bay Resort, Hibiscus Beach Resort and Sand Castle on the Beach.

Book through AA vacations, Delta Vacations, CheapCaribbean.com, Expredia, or Travelocity for travel now through November 15^th. For complete details as well as a complete list of participating hotels, consult the USVI tourism website at http://www.usvitourism.vi/package_and_promotions.

Hope we'll see you soon! Lorine

Lorine R. Williams

Coldwell Banker Land de-Wilde

340.690.9628

www.buyintheusvi.com

Moving to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands offers so many rewards: the white sand beaches, the warm and welcoming Caribbean waters, the culture, flavors and unique history of a diverse population. However, transplants from the States can face challenges adjusting to their new lives. I offer 3 easy steps to embrace the "Crucian" way of life.

Step #1:

Begin each interaction with locals and visitors alike with an unhurried smile and a warm greeting. A friendly "Good Morning / Afternoon / Evening" will go a long way to easing interactions with shopkeepers, bus drivers, and government workers. (A quick note, "Good Night" is also used as a greeting in St. Croix, not just to say "Good-bye.") Many from the States have come to see these interactions as "time wasters" or superfluous, but they are still important in St. Croix. Before demanding service from a clerk - stop, smile, pause, greet. Easy!

Step #2:

Accept that "simple" tasks that might have been accomplished in a few minutes may take a lot longer in St. Croix, and plan on that time. Driving through town during "rush hour" may take longer than expected because the driver of the car in front of you stopped to visit with his friend. Picking up a few sandwiches for a sailing trip to Buck Island may take 20 minutes, not 5 like it would in a New York deli. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, remember Step #1 before you take it out on the clerk.

Step #3:

Don't merely "accept" the slower pace, but embrace it and all that it represents. Some have theorized that this is due to the lack of seasons; each day is just as beautiful as the next, so what's the hurry? In every aspect of our lives today we are expected to multitask, be connected and on-line, filling every minute with productivity. St. Croix represents a more respectful, more civilized way of life that is gone is most parts of the world. Stop and enjoy the tranquil waves as they lap at the waterfront, watch a hummingbird negotiate its way through your flower garden, stroll through downtown and chat with the taxi drivers about their day. Next time you way may find yourself bragging about how little you did in your day, not how much!